Edexcel International SECTION A – PHYSICAL

GCSE ENVIRONMENTS
GEOGRAPHY Worksheet 7: Hazardous Environments
SPECIFICATION KEY IDEA

Some places are more hazardous than others.

Student Book pages 66–69 and glossary.

1. What is meant by the term ‘natural hazard’?

Natural hazards are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused either by rapid or slow onset
events which can be geophysical (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic activity)

2. Complete the sentences below using the words in the box. Each word can be used once or not
at all.

constructive cope destructivehazardous

impacts one type

Some places are more than others. These places experience more than
type of natural hazard. Some places can more effectively with the
damaging caused by hazards than other places.

3. Tropical cyclones are one type of natural hazard. Complete the flow diagram to explain the
formation of a tropical cyclone.

Stage 1 Local thunderstorms

Stage 2

Stage 3 Air spirals upwards to cause intense low pressure

Stage 4

Stage 5 Cold air in the centre sinks

4. Identify the meaning of the term ‘Coriolis force’:

a) force created by the Earth’s rotation

b) force created by a tropical cyclone
c) force which forms local thunderstorms
d) force which produces the Earth’s gravitational pull.

5. Explain why hotspots, such as the Hawaian Islands, may be hazardous.

A place that has 2 or more different types of hazards affecting it. One hazard can often
trigger others (e.g. Earthquakes can cause landslides and tsunamis).